“You couldn’t have timed it better. This is my 60th year on stage,” actor K. Ramachandran greets me with a broad smile. The gleam in his eyes and the enthusiasm in his voice when he dwells on his theatre experiences, exemplify his love for the stage. Aficionados who have watched ‘TV’ Varadharajen’s recent play, ‘Sri Thyagarajar’ will remember the guru of the saint played by Ramachandran. “My continuing on stage seemed justified when Bombay Jayashri told me that she felt that I command the respect a guru warrants.” Ramachandran’s joy sets the mood for our conversation. “I am 84 and every time I am on stage I am a different person, not the diffident person I am in real life. It has been so from my first play, ‘Only Letter’ in 1956.” The octogenarian looks younger probably because he’s doing what he likes best.
Even after a little less than 10,000 stage appearances in noteworthy roles, several television soaps and radio plays and a couple of films, Ramachandran hasn’t been written about much. Of course, recognition from the sabhas in Chennai such as Mylapore Academy, Kartik Fine Arts and a few others has come his way.
While in service, even availing of leave for a day wasn’t easy, but nothing deterred ‘Binny’ Ramachandran, as he is known till today, 25 years after retirement! “Hurdles were many, but theatre has been my life,” he says. “Even at this age give him his role and dialogue this evening, and he is ready to go on stage in 24 hours,” ‘TV’ Varadharajen had told me. I mention it and Ramachandran laughs: “You ask me to learn three stanzas I may take 10 days, but pages of dialogue I can do in a jiffy.” He’s been a part of TVV’s troupe for more than 15 years now.
Any trying moments on stage? “Just twice — during a recording of a play at Doordarshan I went blank. I was asked to have some water and relax. All I did was pray to my mother and I was ready. I believe she guides me even today.” Ramachandran strikes a sentimental chord.
“It happened again after many years, in Jamshedpur, during Varadharajen’s play, ‘Mega Serial.’” He remembers Gopali of Doordarshan with gratitude. “Voice modulation or expression, he trained me thoroughly.” Ramachandran has acted in over 40 DD productions.
The sponsors of ‘Mega Serial’ in Dubai insisted on Varadharajen and Nithya (the heroine) bringing Ramachandran along with them. “We can find substitute actors for others, but without Ramachandran this play cannot be staged here,” they said.
Yesteryear actor and director G. Srinivasan began his theatre journey at almost the same time. He and Ramachandran formed Sundaranar Nataka Mandram, which staged more than a dozen plays. Their ‘Mann Bommai’ was made into a film (‘Paasa Deepam’) with AVM Rajan as hero. “Puliyur Saroja (cinema dance choreographer) and her sister, Susheela, were members of our troupe. T.S. Balaiah and T.R. Ramachandran liked ‘Mann Bommai’ so much that they would come over to our shows often,” he remembers. Ramachandran also acted in the plays of prominent film actors such as T.R. Ramachandran, Sundari Bai and ‘Ayya Theriyaadhaiya’ Rama Rao.
Noticing his flair for comedy, S.Ve. Shekher requested Ramachandran to act in his plays. “Beginning 1973 I acted in all his plays for two decades. The best thing about the stage is a person sitting in the last row would walk up to me and say, ‘you were excellent.’ What more can an actor wish for?”
Ramachandran’s light-hearted bytes in S.Ve. Shekher’s plays, including, ‘One More Exorcist,’ ‘Tenant Commandments’ and ‘Crazy Thieves in Palavakkam’ are still popular. “When a man recognised me at a temple in the U.S. I was surprised! ‘We have the CDs Sir,’ many tell me and even mention the names of the characters I’ve played.” Around the same time Ramachandran was a part of actor/producer Balajee’s drama troupe also. That was where he met Nagesh.
“‘Marma Desam’ under K. Balachander’s banner was a great opportunity. If you were good at the job and grasped his instructions, it was a joy working for KB, as he would appreciate you at once.” From the serials of A.C. Trilokchander (for AVM) and C.V. Rajendran, to ‘Kolangal’, ‘Vizhudhugal’ and others, Ramachandran has worked in many.
Cinema did open its doors but his heart lay in theatre. He acted in K.S. Sethumadhavan’s National Award winning film, ‘Marupakkam.’ “Acting with Sivaji Ganesan and Nagesh for a film called, ‘Kaanikkai’ was memorable. Sadly the film was shelved after a few days of shoot,” he says. “And I felt that I wasn’t cut out for cinema.”
‘Violin Pesugiradhu,’ a docu-feature on Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan had him playing the violinist’s father. “Vaidyanathan told me that my voice and looks remind him of his father. I still cherish those words.”
Ramachandran still commutes by bus to the venues of the plays. I am reminded of TVV’s words about him: “Rehearsals or programmes, he arrives on the dot impeccably dressed in trousers and formal shirt. We have a lot to learn from him.”
“I want to continue acting till my last breath. I hope God grants it to me,” he smiles, as he gets ready to leave for Narada Gana Sabha, the venue of ‘Sri Thyagaraja’ that evening.
As Kamal’s dad
“Jagadish, a playwright, called me over for a father’s role in his play ‘Idhaya Kamalam.’ Kamal Haasan played my son. We went on to do some 20 shows together. Even at that juncture I was fascinated by his spontaneity and knew he would go places. Having acted with Kamal is a matter of pride for me,” says Ramachandran.
Storehouse of talent
Nagesh had to make his entry for the scene on stage, but none could find him. “Where’s Nagesh,” each one was screaming backstage when suddenly he jumped from above the curtains to a thunderous applause!
Ramachandran recalls: “It happened in a play produced by Balajee. In those days Nagesh stayed at Balajee’s place. Balajee had a lot of confidence in Nagesh’s potential and was trying his best to get him roles in cinema. It’s rare to see such talent as Nagesh’s. His improvisations could throw others on stage off-gear if they weren’t alert,” smiles Ramachandran. “He was a good friend. There was much to observe, much to learn from that incomparable actor.”
